Teaser: Channel Man - Col's Story
Though he died 37 years ago, Col Smith's legacy endures due to his progressive surfboard designs and the spirited way he rode them.
Hailing from Redhead, a small mining town just south of Newcastle, the sort of place that's described as 'gritty', Col was gregarious, athletic, and creative. Because of those qualities he was loved and respected wherever he went.
Testament to that is his first trip to Hawaii, taken one year after the bruising winter of '76 when Rabbit busted down the door, and promptly got his teeth busted up too, Col landed in Hawaii with a fleet of alien surfboards, channel bottoms, the likes of which the Hawaiians had never seen.
While the Aussies tip-toed back into the arena, Col won the Pro Class Trials at Sunset and won over the Hawaiians with his humble daring. Rory Russell calling him "the most underrated surfer in the world."
As surfing performances advanced, new ideas flourished with Col falling in with a cross-continental group of shapers: Jim Pollard, Marty Littlewood, Phil Myers, Phil Fraser, and Allan Byrne, who together pushed the performance envelope of surfboards with their channel bottom designs.
In 1987, Col died in circumstances not openly discussed. The surfing world moved on, channels coming in and out of vogue.
Recently, filmmaker Nicholas Cupelli and producer Terry Campbell began revisiting Col's life. Together they've been writing, filming, and editing Channel Man, a bio-pic on Col. Part celebration of his genius, Channel Man is also a homage to Redhead and the coastal towns just like it, places where unassuming surfers could rise from modest means to be superstars given the right amount of talent and ambition.
Fittingly, Channel Man will premiere at Redhead Surf Club - a one-night show now stretched to three - then Nick and Terry are taking it on the road. See below for info on dates and how to buy tickets. Stay tuned for any additional dates too.
Buy tickets to Redhead (night three)
Buy tickets to Avoca Beach Theatre
Comments
Looks really interesting.
Would love to watch that.
Be good to see. His daughter use to own and run a local beachside cafe/eatery not far from my place. Had one of his old boards on display. A Nice down to earth person. Shame there’s no venues showing in my area.
I'm assuming there will be a Lennox or Byron show added.
Looks good.
Have vivid memories of a surf movie being blown away watching Col doing absolute vertical re-entries has stuck with me ever since.
Now this is something we can all get around and enjoy.
His boards are always the standouts at the Burleigh single fin comp each year.
man, i wish these premieres would make it out west to the Margies region. Plenty of frothers here that would love to watch and enjoy the surf flick community vibe.
I always get so confused about the two Cols Smith's. Both goofy's, both shaped too right? Can someone please clearly explain the two?
Apparently I got into a fight with the Narrabeen one.
Both goofys. Both shapers. They once finished first and second in the Aussie Titles - cue confusion and hilarity from announcers.
Narrabeen Col Smith - who won said Aussie Titles - had blonde hair and often wore a goatee or soul patch, was seemingly double-jointed and could pull all sorts of rubber man moves, and shaped for Morning Star being an early supporter of Tom Carroll.
Redhead Col had black hair, passed away in '87 and we'll soon hear much more about him through 'Channel Man'.
Aah didn't know that so who was it that did the vertical re-entries?
Vague memories of blond hair.
Reckon they both did them, but Narra Col Smith was known for his beyond vert surfing and Indian rubberman moves.
Cheers Stu
Would like to see that.
Love watching history of surfing, especially not the so high profile pro guys.
From memory I thought it was lung cancer that got him?
Too young.
That's better:
"ledgend" haha
Newy Boys how was it ?